Science meets Parliament 2018 Canadian Pilot

An overview of the development and execution of the 2018 Canadian pilot programme for Science meets Parliament.

Presented at the 2019 AAAS Annual Meeting, Washington DC.

Transcript

1. Science meets Parliament 2018 Canadian Pilot Programme MATT MCTAGGART @MATTMCTAGGART ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA 13 MAY 2019
2. A Fortunate Conversation Following a science policy discussion, I was left without concrete ideas of How? When? An Australian astronomer introduced me to Science meets Parliament 2
3. Would it work in Canada? Was there an appetite among Canadian researchers for a similar programme? Attendees at the Canadian Science Policy Conference expressed feeling separated from any role in political decision making. 3
4. A Decade of Estrangement Early 2000s – 2015 Public denied access to federal science Fundamental research funding cut Shuttering experimental facilities “Death of Evidence” rallies in 2012 4
5. Return to Science Major issue in 2015 election Change in government brought ◦ Minister of Science ◦ Chief Science Advisor ◦ Model Policy of Scientific Integrity However, politicization of science casts a long shadow 5
6. Translating from Australian to Canadian No direct analogue to STA in Canada, but the lessons of their experience could be adapted: ◦ Reliably non-partisan and non-lobbying ◦ Focus on building relationships ◦ Must include professional development ◦ Diversity and inclusion from the outset 6
7. Building a Canadian Partnership 7 Institute on Governance ◦Communications and Policy Training Chief Science Advisor ◦Ambassador for scientists Canadian Science Policy Centre ◦Impartiality and Logistic power Two Royal Military College chemistry profs ◦Nucleus that allowed the idea to condense
8. Science meets Parliament Pilot programme ran November 2018 Aim: To create space for relationships between researchers working in Canada and federal Parliamentarians Goal: To reaffirm science and evidence- informed policy as Canadian cultural norms. 8
9. Self-Imposed Constraints Limited eligibility to make application numbers manageable ◦ Restricted to current Tier II Canada Research Chairs ◦ Specifically targets established early career researchers ◦ One exception made for Northern researcher Commitment to maximize diversity and inclusion ◦ Identity, background, language, immigration status ◦ Geographical location, institution size ◦ Field of research 9
10. 10 Science and Engineering Social Sciences Medical and Health Not declared Yes, including Indigenous people Male Female Delegate Selection
11. MPs and Senators ~10% of Parliamentarians: ◦ 35 Members of Parliament ◦ 8 Senators Party representation roughly equal relative to their number of seats held 11 MPs Senators Liberal Conservative Health Green PC Independent
12. Pre-Event Preparation Delegate Handbook Specific activities and items to prepare for the event Intended to be used as a guide for future meetings, guiding students and peers 12
13. Arriving in Ottawa Meet and greet with Dr. Nemer Training session included: ◦ Parliament operations 101 ◦ Effective communication strategies ◦ Panel composed of current and former MPs, Senators, and Party leaders Focus on making a personal connection 13
14. Science meets Parliament Flexible for MP and Senator schedules ◦ Traditional one-on-one meetings ◦ Shadowing through part of the day ◦ Breakfast or lunch ◦ Group discussions ◦ Committee meetings 14
15. Behind the Scenes 94 events on Parliament Hill 3-4 hours contact time per Delegate 3 votes scheduled on that day Regroup for Question Period Centre Block tours for all who requested 15
16. Closing Reception Included MPs, Senators, and heads of national science organizations Delegates used time to ◦Share stories ◦Cement connections ◦Arrange collaborations 16
17. Political, but Non-Partisan Keynotes by the Minister and critics demonstrated cross-party support for key messages: Research is a shared Canadian value Science strengthens policy 17
18. 18 Hearing parliamentarians speak about their experiences with science on the Hill and speaking one-on-one with parliamentarians offered an amazing opportunity to "peak behind the curtain.“ By participating in the event I learned more about the role of science in decision- making in Canada than I have learning in a decade of reading articles and attending other workshops 18
19. Delegate Quotes This program has changed the way I will communicate my research and the way I will advise my students. This was an incredibly valuable exercise to not only convey a better understanding of science and how it is performed, but also to learn about the push and pull of politics, and the role of evidence in policy making 19
20. Ongoing Impacts Visits by local MPs to Delegate labs Science policy workshops at their home institutions Cohort self-organization: ◦ Social media groups ◦ Collaboration on new projects ◦ Joint paper to share with other jurisdictions 20
21. Lessons Learned Easier for small cohorts to get to know one another ◦ Cross-discipline network of ECRs is has value ◦ Open networking times are a necessary component Flexible meeting types enriched the experience for most but not all ◦ Pre-event exercises and information as early as possible ◦ Full-day of science communications training is recommended ◦ Have a Plan-B available if meetings fall-through Delegates are applying the lessons ◦ Capacity-building within fields, institutions, and communities 21
22. In Summary Science meets Parliament 2018 ran as a Canadian pilot Did we meet the aim? ◦Positive connections formed between the two solitudes ◦Demonstrated cross-party support for research ◦Built capacity for policy impact across research communities 22
23. Science doesn’t speak for itself It takes human voices, human stories, and personal relationships Positive meetings between scientists and decision makers displace preconceptions while encouraging a robust and active role for science in modern political discourse. 23
24. Thank you Kylie Walker and Emma Johnston – STA Mehrdad Hariri – President, CSPC Mona Nemer – Canada’s Chief Science Advisor Organizing committee ◦ Cecile Malardier-Jugroot ◦ Kin Kuok ◦ Masha Cemma ◦ Tatjana Milojevic IOG Workshop: ◦ Jeff Kinder ◦ Rhonda Moore ◦ Leah Jurkovic 24